Coburn: Obama veto threat 'ridiculous'

By DAN HIRSCHHORN

07/24/2011 11:19 AM EDT

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) said on Sunday that President Barack Obama will ultimately have to step back from his threat to veto any debt limit increase that isn't big enough to last through the 2012 elections.

"That's a ridiculous position because that's what he's going to get presented with," Coburn said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "That's the ... way through that's going to build a compromise."

Coburn, who gave new life to the Senate's Gang of Six deficit reduction efforts when he returned to the group, said going short term will eventually be the only way to avoid running past the Treasury's Aug. 2 deadline for raising the debt ceiling.

"I understand why they're saying they won't sign a short term," he said. "But I think they won't have any choice, and I think that's the only answer right now."